Letter: Losing confidence in Kelowna mayor and council

It is with great regret, that I see council listened to the baseless reasoning of a staffer who just managed to derail a perfectly good and needed development (Council dumps development, Capital News, March 21,) proposed by a well-experienced and respected major property developer.

The irony is that the (Diamond Mountain) project was supported by city planners, who I have reason to believe make decisions based on facts, in this case however, an individual whose motives must be questioned, spent an unprecedented time and personal energy to veto the project. What is the real reason behind his actions?

In the past we had mayors and councillors who actually knew something about what they were asked to make decisions on, so staff’s role to advise was balanced by the personal knowledge of each councillors on the subject they were asked to make an important decision on. I was recently told by one senior councillor, “well we cannot know everything.” Of course not, but at least know about what you make decisions on, affecting people in a big way. You are employed by the taxpayers who pay you for doing your job.

One-thousand housing units at the lower end of the economic spectrum is what Kelowna needs. We do not have the land-base to allow this property to be divided into 10 acre plots. Allowing 30 plus storey buildings in Kelowna is not the answer, just compounding the obvious problems we already have already, making them worse for the future.

I am ashamed and very disappointed in councils decision and ask (likely in vain) to reconsider their decision, so that this community-beneficial development can still go ahead.

As a former developer and long term businessman in this city, I can honestly say that I can no longer have confidence and vote again for this mayor or council, who have disappointed more than once on important issues, affecting many Kelowna residents who have contributed greatly to everyone’s well-being.

I have had the pleasure to work with every mayor and council since 1958. This is an issue, where every caring citizen should get upset about, and let City Hall know.